Chinese archaeologists claimed on Saturday to have unearthed a portrait of Confucius from a tomb that is at least 2,000 years old. [Photo/Xinhua]

The finding of the Confucius portrait in the marquis' tomb indicates Confucius' teachings were prevalent among the ruling class in the Western Han Dynasty, Zhang said.

"This is the earliest portrait of the ancient sage discovered so far," said Xin Lixiang, head of the excavation team and one of China's most authoritative archaeologists for the Qin and Han dynasties.

Before the new finding was reported, experts believed the oldest Confucius portrait was on a mural found in a tomb chamber in Dongping county in East China's Shandong province. The mural dates back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220).